St Pauls Early Learning Centre in Townsville was forced to close earlier in Term 1 after a week of relentless, torrential rain. Just as it seemed safe to reopen, the rain returned – and so did the floodwaters.
As we’ve seen throughout the Queensland wet season, severe weather not only disrupts service operations, children’s routines and families’ support networks. Communities also deal with flooded homes, road closures limiting access to services, food shortages due to cut supply routes, and mould blooms.
But it’s in times of trouble that our community’s spirit truly shines. Despite facing their own challenges, team members, parents and carers came together to clean up the Centre’s grounds. Service Leader Kerry went above and beyond, undertaking daily inspections of the grounds, leading cleanup efforts, and supporting team members and families in this difficult time. (As Cyclone Alfred moved south, Service Leader Kerry also checked in with her colleagues in SEQ, sharing her experiences up north and helping them prepare for the weather system.)
Everyone in the St Pauls learning community rallied to ensure the service could reopen as soon as possible, five-and-a-half days after closing. It truly takes a village to raise a child, and we are deeply grateful for the St Pauls team for their dedication and teamwork.
